SOUTH AFRICAN STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MS. LYDIA GREYLING, ALTERNATE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY ON THE PROGRAMME AND BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING, 5 MAY 2015

Chairperson,

My delegation associates itself with the statement made by the distinguished Ambassador of Chile, H.E. Armin ANDEREYA on behalf of the G77 and China.   My delegation also wishes thanks the Secretariat for making the draft Programme and Budget for 2016-2017 available, well in advance of the PBC to allow for more detailed discussions on the budget.

Chairperson,

South Africa appreciates the Secretariat’s efforts to prioritise activities within and among programmes and identify efficiencies and synergies in preparing the Agency’s Draft Programme and Budget for the Biennium 2016-2017.  South Africa has always supported the need for a realistic budget, which not only takes into account the global financial situation, but that would enable the Agency to meet the growing demands for its services. It is our belief that ensuring sufficient resources for the Agency to fulfill its mandate is first and foremost a matter of allocating the available resources to those activities of the Agency that best serve the needs and interests of the majority of Member States. In this regard South Africa supports a budget which ensures the balanced distribution between the peaceful uses of nuclear technology , including technical cooperation, as well as safety and safeguards.

Chairperson,

This is not and an ordinary budget.  Many of our delegations are currently engaged in the review of the Non Proliferation Treaty.  South Africa believes that it is through the IAEA and its Technical Cooperation Programme that the Third Pillar of the NPT is implemented.  South Africa accordingly attaches great importance to the IAEA as the vehicle for accelerating and enlarging the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. Indeed South Africa views contribution to the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Fund as part of a political commitment to the fulfillment of the grand bargain upon which the NPT was founded.

We are heartened by the increased focus on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the run up to the NPT Revcon. We also wish to thank those Member States that have contributed to the renovation of the Nuclear Application Laboratories at Seibersdorf and call upon all Member States to make financial contributions by 1 June, 2015 to ensure that construction can commence as planned.  As we are all aware, the Agency’s laboratories are essential to the peaceful development and use of nuclear and nuclear related technologies.

Chairperson,

Through our current deliberations on the Regular Budget and TCF Targets for the coming Biennium we have an opportunity to translate statements into action.  Without sufficient resources our best intentions for the peaceful uses on nuclear energy and for the work of the Agency will not be realized.   We trust that Member States will take these remarks into consideration in our future deliberation on increasing resources for the Technical Cooperation Fund.

With these remarks my delegation takes note of the Agency’s draft Programme and Budget as contained in GOV/2015/1 and its revised proposal.

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